Can end closure attaching machine



July 13, 1943. o. A. SCHMITT GAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE FiledNOV- l0. 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTQR.

man l ATTORNEYQ- lhilly 13, 1943 o. A. SCHMITT 2,323,939

CAN END CLOSURE TTACHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 10, 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 2lq n ATTORNEYS July 13, 1943. o. A. SCHMITT CAN ENDV'CLOSURE ATTACHINGMACHINE Filed Nov. lO, 1939 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @Z5/. w mw y @Q1/ lATTORNEYS July 13, 1943. o. A SCHMITT 2,323,939

CAN END CLOSRE ATTACHING MACHINE FiledNov. 10, 1939 13 Sheets-Sheet 4ATTORNEY S July 13, 1943. o. A. SCHMITT 2,323,939

CAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed NOV. l0, 1959 13 Sheets-Sheet 5x I 94 12 (L lNvENToR. y

ATTORNEYS July 13, 1943. o. A. SCHMITT 2,323,939

` GAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Fild Nov. 1o, 1939 1s sheetssheet eJuly v13, 1943.

O. A. SCHMITT CAN END cLosURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1939 13sheetssheet 'l ATTORNEY 5 July 13, 1943. o, A, SCHMITT 2,323,939

CAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0, 1939 l5 Sheets-Sheet179 17 7 127 128 l '/A l( l 679 88 129 ATTORNEY 5 July 13, 1943. o. A.SCHMITT 2,323,939

CAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed NOV. l0, 1959 v l5 Sheets-Sheet9 INVENTOR.

145 am @fw BY WWU ATTORNEYS Jllv 13, 1943. o, A scHMlT-r 2,323,939

GAN END AczLosUm-z ATTACHNG MACHINE Filed Nov. l0, 1939 13 Sheets-Sheetl0 l\ l s N l? O w S.

Bf A n d IyNTOIL w BY W FN Q55 July 1.3, 1943. o. A. SCHMITT A2,323,939

CAN END GLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1939 13 Sheets-Sheet 12"TL-915' Z50 ATTORNEYS July 13, 1943. o. A. s'cHMlTT 2,323,939 4 CAN ENDCLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Nqv. 1o, 1959 1s sheets-sheet 1sINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented J-ulxy 13,

UNITED STATES -YPATENT orifice;

CAN END CLOSURE ATTACHING MACHINE Application November 10, 1939, SerialNo. 303,991

12 Claims.

The invention relates generally to the art of manufacturing containersof sheet metal, or of a combination of sheet metal and paper or similarnon metallic body and end closure elements, and primarily seeks toprovide a novel machine for assembling such body and end closureelements.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated in which is embodied novel container body and end closure elementfeeding and positioning means and novel means for eiiecting adjustmentsin the relative positions of these equipments so as to adapt the machinefor assembling containers of different sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated embodying a novel turret structure having provision for holdingthe container bodies and the end closure elements in registeringrelation, novel means for bringing about a nested relation between eachbody and the associated end closure element while they are held on saidturret, and novel means for moving the nested container parts into thezone of influence of a seam forming or sealing means for securing saidclosure elements on said bodies while they are supported by said turret.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated in which the turretl structure includes novel holding elementsfor holding each end closure at edge portions thereof, and novel meansfor separating said elements to release said end closures as the nestedcontainer parts are moved into the zone of influence of the sealingmeans.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated in which the sealing devices are mounted in a housing which isswingably supported on the machine frame so that it can be readily movedinto cooperative relation with the turret, or swung away from the turretin order to render the turret parts and said devices readily accessiblefor manipulation or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterstated in which is ineluded power means for transmitting movement to thevarious mechanisms of the machine, and novel pneumatically actuatedmeans for shutting off the power application whenever the propercomplements of container parts is not being fed into the machine.

With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by followingthe detailed description, the appended claims, and the several viewsillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating themachine.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the axis of themain drive shaft.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine taken throughthe axis of the seaming head.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View and part horizontal sectionillustrating portions of the turret, the cross feed mechanism and thereciprocable pre-assembly plate and driving connections therefor.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section of the machine, the section beingtaken between the seaming head and the turret looking toward the turret.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical longitudinal section through the containerbody feeding table.

Figure '7 is a horizontal section taken through the table illustrated inFigure 6, the section being taken through the axis of the tableadjusting devices and parts being shown in plan View.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating the mountingof the can body accelerating disks.

Figure 9 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 9-9 onFigure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line I0-IU onFigure 6.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section illustrating theadjustable mounting of the container body end opposing sector.

Figure 12 is anfenlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenthrough the axis of the turret and the end closure feeding mechanism.

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken through the endclosurel feeding mechamsm.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic sectional view i1- lustrating the mechanismfor discontinuing operation of the machine whenever a proper complementof container body and end closure to be assembled is not present in themachine.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating therelation of a container body and the end closure with which it is to beassembled just after the body has been fed into the turret pocket.

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 and illustrates thepre-assembly or nesting of the con- 55. tainer body and its companionend closure.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary horizontal sectio-n of the securing stationat the bottom of the turret and illustrates the seaming function r thestep of securing the assembly of the container body and its companionend closure.

Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 17 and illustrates thedisplacement of the assembled and secured container from the chuck andcooperating seaming rollers.

In the machine herein disclosed as an example of embodiment of theinvention there is included a frame A, a motor or power source B, aclutch housing C, a clutch actuator housing D, and a pneumatic clutchactuator E. The machine also includes a vertically adjustable containerbody feed-in mechanism F, a cross feed mechanism G, a finished containerfeed-off way H, an end closure feed I, and a turret J and a sealing unitK disposed in opposed relation on horizontal axes.

The frame A includes a base portion and an upper or main housing portion6. Within the housing portion a main or power shaft 1 is rotatablysupported in horizontal bearings 8.

The motor B imparts rotation to a driver' pulley 9 composed ofspring-pressed cone disks, and the rotation of this pulley is impartedthrough a V-belt It to the clutch drive pulley (not` shown) disposedwithin the clutch housing C. The motor may be bodily moved through themedium of a screw adjusting means I I in order to vary the driving ratioof the pulley equipments just mantioned so as to vary the speed ofoperation of the power shaft 1.

The main drive shaft 'I is hollow, and a clutch actuator rod I2 islongitudinally movable in said shaft and extends into the actuatorhousing D where it is secured to an annularly grooved head i3 splined asat i4 on the shaft l. A shifter ring I5 is mounted in the head grooveand is trunnionconnected with a shifting fork I5 secured upon a crankshaft I'I rockably mounted in bearings I8 supported on the frame 5 inthe manner best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. A cranki9 is affixed to the shaft Il' and is linkconnected as at 26 t0 a crank2l secured upon another crank shaft 22 rockably supported as at 23 onthe frame in the manner illustrated `in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.The crank shaft 22 carries a crank arm 24 which is linkconnected as at25 with one end of a piston rod 26 which has its other end secured to apiston 2T reciprocable within a cylinder 28 forming a part of thepneumatic actuator equipment E and secured as at 29 to the frame portionSee Figures 1 and 14 of the drawings.

The cylinder 28 is connected by a duct 3B with pneumatic controlequipment later to be described and includes a slideway 3l traversed byan air vent 32. A venting slide 33 is mounted in the slideway and isequipped with a venting aperture 34, which, when aligned with theventing equipment 32, will serve to admit atmospheric air into theinterior of the cylinder 28. The slide 33 is frictionally held againstits seat by a, springpressed plunger 35, and movement is imparted tothis slide thro-ugh the medium of an actuator rod 35. The rod 35 isfreely straddled by a boss or fork 3l projecting from the link 25, andthis boss is disposed between spaced stop collars 38 secured to saidrod. The slide 33 is normally positioned as illustrated in Figure 11,and in this normal position the venting apertures are out of registryand the cylinder 28 is closed against ingress of atmospheric air. Inthis condition of the parts it will be obvious that upon evacuation ofthe cylinder 23 through the conduit 30, the

' ually shift the rod 36 to cause the aperture equipments 32 and 34 tocommunicate and allow air to enter the cylinder 28 so that the piston 21can be restored to its normal position illustrated in Figure 14.Restoration of the piston to its no1'- mal position will cause the fork37 to contact the outermost collar 38 and restore the slide S3 to theVent closing position illustrated in Figure 14.

A hand lever 39 may be actuated for manually effecting a de-clutclnngaction and discontinuing the operation of the machine if desired.

The can body feed-in mechanism F includes a table Q5 having rigidlymounted, vertically disposed bearings 4f and 112 thereon. The verticalbearing members 6I and 52, respectively, surround a vertical shaft Q3and a vertical sleeve lill, the former including a threaded part 45threadably received in a bearing Q6 stationariiy supported on the frameportion 6, and the latter including a threaded portion 41 threadablyreceived in a bearing 48 stationarily mounted on said frame portion. Aworm wheel 49 is secured to each of the elements i3 and 44, and eachsaid i worm wheel is engaged by a worm gear 5G mounted on a short crossshaft 5I rotatably supported in a bearing 52 and connected by a bevelpinion couple with a manually operable adjuster shaft 54 rotatablysupported in bearings 55 secured upon the table and equipped with a handwheel 56. See Figures l, 6 and 7 to 9.

The rectangular container bodies or openended sleeves 5l are fed ontothe table by laterally spaced feeder chains 58 which pass over driversprockets 59 secured upon a cross shaft 60.

This shaft is rotatably supported at the front end of the table and hasa driver sprocket EI aflixed to one end thereof and a cam member 62afIiXed to its other end. See Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9.

. The rotating cam member 62 is adapted to alternately lift and lower aroller 63 and the end of the lever t4 to which said roller is affixed.The lever is spring-depressed and is pivoted intermediate its ends as at65 on the table. The front end of the lever Se is link-connected as at66 with one arm of a bell crank lever 67 rockably supported in a bearingmember 68 verticallly adjustably secured at the front end of the table,and the other arm of the bell crank lever carries a verticallyadjustable stop member 69 adapted to be alternately projected into andremoved from a position for obstructing free movement of the containerbodies 67 on the conveyor chains 58.

rEhe vertical oscillations of the stop member 69 are so timed that eachtime this member is in its lowered position it will intercepttemporarily and hold an inwardly traveling container body 51 in thespace between two laterally spaced housings in the manner illustrated inFigures 8 and 9 of the drawings. Each housing member includes spacedwail portions 'l forming lateral guides for the traveling can bodies andis adjustably supported as at 12 so that the spaced relation of thehousings can be varied. Beneath the housings the table is equipped witha pair of laterally aligned slideways 13 in each of which a bearingblock 14 is slidably mounted. Each block 14` in-f cludes a verticallydisposed bearing portion 15 in which is rotatably mounted a shaft member16, and a horizontally disposed bearing portion 11 in which is rotatablymounted a sleeve 18 equipped with a bevel pinion 19, said sleevessurrounding and being spline-connected to the cross shaft 60hereinbefore referred to. Adjusting devices 80 are provided for movingthe blocks 14 in the slideways 13, and by this means the spaced relationof the shafts 16 can be adjusted. A bevel pinion 8| is secured t0 thelower end of each shaft 16 and meshes with the bevel pinion 19 of theadjacent sleeve 18, and by this means the rotation of the shaft 69 isimparted to the spaced vertical shafts 16.

A feed wheel 82 is secured upon the upper end of each shaft 16, and eachwheel carries a feeder segment 83 grooved to straddle the reduced sideguide wall portion of the casing in the manner illustrated in Figure 9of the drawings and disposed to oppose and cooperate with the segment ofthe companion wheel in yieldably gripping and imparting accelerated feedmovement to the can bodies in the manner illustrated in Figures 8 and 9of the drawings. The can bodies 51 are fed into the machine in acontinuous line by the chains 58, the line of cans being alternatelyintercepted and then released by the vertically oscillating stop member69. Each time the stop 69 is moved up to release the can bodies thesegments 83 engage the side walls of the foremost can body in the lineand rapidly move it away from the line while the stop member is elevatedand feeds it into the zone of influence of the other feeding devices ofthe table. Immediately after the feeder segments have thus separated theforemost can body from the remainder of the line, the stop member 69will descend and again intercept the line o-f can bodies.

A feed bar 84 is reciprocably mounted in a receiving grooveway 85 formedin the table and carries a xed feed finger 86 at its front end andequi-distantly spaced series of spring-elevated feed ngers 81 throughoutthe remainder of its length. The feed bar'is flanked at its respectivesides with guide rails 88 which are adjustably supported as at 89 on thetable so that their spaced relation can be altered. A guard rail 90 isdisposed in spaced relation above the feed bar and carries a pluralityof gravity depressed back check fingers 9| which function to hold canbodies in the positions to which they have been fed each time the feedbar is retracted for a new feeding stroke. The guard rail also includesa springdepressed back check finger 92 disposed in cooperative relationabove the xed finger 86 and which is displaced by each can body as it israpidly moved into the feed line by the rotating wheels 82.

The main shaft 1 has a worm gear 93 affixed thereon which meshes with aworm wheel 94 on a cam shaft 95 rotatably supported in verticallyaligned bearings 96 and 91, respectively, provided in the base frame andthe frame housing portion 6. Spur gears 98 and 99 are anxed to the shaft95 and this shaft also carries a grooved plate cam |00, a grooved drumcam a spur gear |92, and a grooved plate cam |03 in the manner bestillustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the purpose for all 0f whichwill be disclosed hereinafter.

' The spur gear 99 meshes with a spur gear |04 on a shaft |95 rotatablysupported in a vertical- 1y disposed bearing |06 in the frame housing 6and having a cam |01 axed to the upper end thereof. The purpose of thiscam will later become apparent.

The spur gear |04 meshes with a spur gear |08 secured upon a shaft |09splined in the gear |08 and vertically rotatable within the screw sleeve44 hereinbefore referred to. The shaft |09 carries a spur gear ||0 atits uper end which includes an off-center crank pin on which a crankVmember I2 and an integral or rigidly connected pinion ||3 are rotatablymounted. The pinion I3 meshes with the integral ring gear I4 which isfixedly mounted as at ||5 on the table. The crank member ||2 isconnected by an adjustable link ||6 with a bracket member I|1 se-, curedto and depending from the feed bar 84.

The pinion I3 isrso proportioned with relation to the ring gear withinwhich it meshes that as it is rotated about within said ring gear theposition of the crank member ||2 will constantly be altered so that itspivotal connection with the link |6 will always move in a straightlinecentered on the feed bar slideway, and by this means the rotary motionof the vertically disposed shaft |99 is transmitted in the form of thedesired straight line reciprocation to the feed bar 84.

The spur gear Il!) meshes with a pinion H8 mounted on a shaft rotatablein a vertically disposed bearing ||9 secured upon the table andconnected by a bevel gear couple |20 with a shaft |2| having rotativebearing in a portion of the same bearing member ||9 and in a bearing |22secured as at |23 on the table. The bearing |22 also rotatably supportsa short shaft E24 which is bevel gear coupled as at |25 with the shaft|2| and carries a driver sprocket which is chain connected as at |26with the driven sprocket 6| on shaft 60 hereinbefore referred to for thepurpose of imparting rotation to the shaft 68. See Figures 6, '7, 8 and9 of the drawings.

The guard rail is supported on a bracket arm |21 which is pivotallymounted as at |28 on a standard |29 vertically-slidably secured as at|39 on the table in the manner illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings.Vertical adjustment of the standard |29 may be effected through themedium of an adjuster screw |3| which is threaded through a lug portionof the standard and engages an abutment block |32 affixed to the table.It will be obvious by reference to Figure 10 that the can body guidingrails 88 can be adjusted laterally to accommodate can bodies of diierentsizes, and this adjustment can be accompanied by a vertical adjustmentof the guard rail 90. The guard rail 90 may also be freely swungupwardly about its pivotal mounting |28.

The turret J comprises a plate or disk body |33 having a plurality(eight being shown) of equidistantly spaced peripheral pockets |34. Eachpocket is flanked by slideways |35 in which opposed jaw members |36 areslidably mounted. Pin and slot equipments |31 limit movement of the jawstoward each other, and each opposed pair of jaws is spring-urged towardeach other to the limit permitted by said pin and slot equipments bycompression spring equipments |38. The opposed edges of the jaws aregrooved as at |39 (Figs. 15 to 18) to receive and retain the edges ofend closures fed into the pockets in the manner hereinafter to bedescribed.

The disk or body |33 is riveted to a supporting sleeve |40 secured by aremovably mounted sleeveV |4| and screw equipment |42 to the end of aturret sleeve |43 rotatably supported in a horizontal bearing |44provided therefor in the machine frame. The shaft |43 carries a disk |45at its other end, and a plurality (eight in this disclosure) ofequi-distantly spaced rollers |45 project from this disk in the mannerillustrated in Figures 3 and 12 of the drawings. Pintles |41 projectrearwardly from a flange on the sleeve |40 through selectivelypositioned spacer sleeves |48. These sleeves are selectively positionedin the manner best illustrated in Figures 3 and 12 of the drawings toalter the spaced relation between the disk |33 and a body supportingdisk |49 which is equipped with peripheral pockets |50 aligned withthose of the disk and is adapted to support the rear ends of thecontainer bodies 51 in the manner illustrated in Figures 3 and 15through 18 of the drawings. It will be observed by reference to thesefigures of the drawings that the disk pockets support the front ends ofthe container bodies.

In practice, one of the sleeves |48 is made one inch in length, another78 of an inch, and the third 1/2 inch in length. It will be Obvious thatby changing the positions of the members |48 on the supporting sleeve|40 the position of the disk |49 with respect to the disk |33 can bealtered to best suit the size of can body being operated upon at theparticular time.

The turret is indexed by an indexing cam which engages the indexingrollers |46 in the manner illustrated in Figures 3 and 12 and operatesin a manner well-known in the alt for moving the turret throughsuccessive steps to present the turret pockets at successive stationsand to hold the turret for an interval at the indexed positions whilethe various operations incident to assembly of the container parts areeffected. The cam |5| is mounted on the upper end of a shaft |52rotatably supported in a vertical bearing |53 on the frame, and thisshaft carries a spur gear |54 at its lower end which meshes with thespur gear |02 within the frame housing portion 6.

A concentric track sector |55 opposes the open pockets of the turretover about half the lower portion of the turret in the manner bestillustrated in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, and this sector isremovably secured as at |56 upon the portion 6 of the machine frame.This sector |55 forms a closure for the peripherally open turret pocketsin which the container bodies travel and serves to prevent any radialdisplacement of the container bodies while travelling about the lowerhalf of the turret travel.

Upon a housing or super-structure framing |51 an end closure stack |58is hingedly mounted as at |59. The stack provides a vertical way inwhich a stack of container end closures |60 are supported onspring-pressed fingers ISI. A vertical slideway |62 is provided beneaththe stack, and a slide member |63 is reciprocably mounted in thisslideway and carries a suction cup |64 at its upper end adapted to bealternately engaged with and withdrawn from contact with the stack ofend closures for the purpose of individually withdrawing closure membersfrom the stack.

The slide |63 includes a suction duct |55 which communicates at one endin the suction cup |64 and is connected by a conduit |56 with theinterior of a valve plate |61 spring-urged as at |58 against a valvemember |69 freely rotatable about a stationary stud shaft on which saidvalve plate |61 is mounted and held against rotation.

This valve equipment serves to time suction communication between thesuction cup |64 and a suction source in a manner soon to be described.The interior coring of the valve plate |61 is connected by a conduit |1|with the interior of a valve structure |12 mounted on the guard rail 90,and the valve structure |12 also has a conduit connection |13 with thesuction source conduit |14 leading to an evacuating pump or other sourceof negative pressure (not shown).

The valve structure |12 is equipped with a seat |15 between the ductconnections |1| and |13, and a valve member |15 cooperates with thisseat to permit or prevent communication between said ducts. The valvemember |16 is mounted on a plunger |11 and is normally pressed againstits seat by a compression spring |18. The plunger is connected by a link|19 with one arm of a bell crank lever which is pivoted at |8| on theguard rail 90 and includes a horizontal arm or leg portion |82positioned as illustrated in Figures 6 and 14 of the drawings for beinglifted by a can body 51 entering the Zone of influence of the feed bar84 in the manner clearly indicated in Figure 14.

Each time an incoming can body lifts the bell crank arm |82 and opensthe valve |15, suction communication is afforded through the ducts |14,|13, |1|; the control valve equipments |61 and |69; and the ducts |66and |65, so that when the suction cup |64 is pressed against the bottomof the stack of end closures |50 and again withdrawn from contact withthe stack it will remove the lowermost closure from the stack and moveit downwardly. It will be understood, of course, that the communicationthrough the various ducts and passages just referred to is properlytimed by the Valve |59 which is rotated in timed relation with the otherfeeding devices.

Each end closure thus withdrawn from the bottom of the stack isdeposited on a pair of horizontally disposed laterally spaced conveyorchains |63 which pass over sprockets |84 on an idler shaft |85 rotatablysupported in the housing |51 and over driver sprockets |86 mounted on adriven shaft |81 rotatably supported in said housing. The shaft |81 maybe manually rotated by use of a hand wheel |88 affixed thereto, butduring the normal operation of the machine it is actuated mechanicallyand in suitably timed relation with the other mechanisms of the machine.The shaft has a spring-pressed overload release drive head |89 keyedthereon which yieldably holds driving and drive releasing balls |90 inseats or recesses on a spur gear |0| freely rotatable about the shaft|81 and adapted to be driven by an intermeshing small spur gear |92keyed on a sprocket sleeve |93 secured to the valve rotor |69 and drivenby a chain connection |94 with a sprocket on the cross shaft |95rotatably supported as at |95 in the housing |51. The shaft |95 isdriven by a bevel pinion couple |91 with the upper end of the shaft |05.

A cam |98 is secured on the shaft |95 and engages a roller |99 mountedon one end of a lever 200 which is pivotally supported intermediate itsends as at 20| and has its other end connected as at 202 with thesuction cup actuated slide member |63. This lever is urged to its slidelowered position by a tension spring 203. The shaft |95 also carries agrooved plate cam 204 the purpose of which will later become apparent.

Container end closure feeding lugs 205 project from the chains |83, andthese lugs engage the end closures individually deposited on the chains183 by the suction cup 164 and individually deliver the end closuresinto the downwardly curved guide or chute portions 206 from whence theyare delivered into the vertically disposed guideways '1 mounted on aframe plate 208 which is secured in vertical position upon the housing I51 directly in advance of and close to the upper portion of the turret.See Figures 5, 12 and 13.

The plate 208 is provided with an opening 203 (Fig. 14) which registerswith the uppermost turret pocket presented one station beyond thevertical in the direction in which the turret moves. This comprisesv atest station at which means is positioned for detecting the presence orabsence of an end closure in the turret pocket presented at thatstation.

The plate 208 supports a valve structure 210 in the manner bestillustrated in Figures 12 and 113 of the drawings, and this valve isconnected by the duct with the clutch control cylinder 28 and by anotherduct 211 with a similar valve structure 212 secured upon the guard rail90. It will be noted that the ducts 30 and 211 of the valve structure210 are disposed in spaced relation, and that the valve structure 212 isconnected by a duct 213 with the suction source duct 114, said duct 213being similarly spaced from the duct 211. A seat 214 is interposedbetween the ducts 211 and 213 within the valve structure 212, andpassage through this valve structure is controlled by a valve member 215which cooperates with said seat and is carried by a plunger member 216.The valve member 215 is urged toward its seat by a compression spring211, and the plunger is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 218pivcted as at 219 on the guard rail 90 and including a horizontallydisposed arm or leg portion 220 adapted to be actuated by a containerbody 51 for unseating the valve member 215 in the manner illustrated inFigure 14.

The valve structure 210 also includes a seat 221 interposed between theducts 30 and 211 and controlled by a valve member 222 carried by aplunger 223 spring urged in the valve seating direction by a compressionspring 224 and having an abutment head 225 thereon. A feeler head 226 ismovable in the plate opening 209 so as to be projectible into andretractible from turret pockets presented at the testing station in themanner illustrated in Figure 14. The head 226 is mounted on a plunger221 which is slideguided as at 228 on the valve structure 210 and has anabutment ear 229 straddling the valve plunger 223. The rod 221 also hasan abutment collar 230 thereon, and a block 231 is slidably mounted onsaid plunger and yeldably held against the collar 230 by a compressionspring 232.

A crank shaft 233 is rockably supported on the plate 208 and has adepending crank 234 which is slot and pin connected as at 235 with theblock 231. It will be obvious by reference to Figure 14 of the drawingsthat as the crank 234 is moved to the left it will move the feeler head226 into the turret pocket presented at the test station. Should nocontainer end closure 160 be present in the po-cket the head would movefreely into the pocket and the abutment ear 229 would engage the valverod abutment 225 and unseat the valve member 222. Whenever a containerend closure is present in the turret pocket, the feeler head will engageit in the manner illustrated in Figure 14 and further movement of thehead will be arrested. When movement of the feeler head 226 is thusnormally arrested by presence of a container end :closure in the turretpocket, normal additional movement of the crank arm 234 is permitted bysliding of the block 231 and compression of the spring 235. The rockshaft 233 also carries a crank 236 connected with a thrust link 231equipped with a roller 238 at its other end which rides inthe groove inthe plate cam 204. It will be obvious that rotation of the cam 204imparts the desired oscillation to the crank member 234. lSee Figures 1,13 and 14.

In a horizontal slideway 329 formed on the machine, across slide 240 isreciprocably mounted. One end of a link 241 is pivotally connected tothe slide as at 242 'and the other end of this link is pivotallyconnected as at 243 With a crank arm 244 secured upon the upper end of ashaft 245 rockably mounted in bearings vertically disposed on the frame.At its lower end, the shaft 245 carries a crank arm 246 which islink-connected as at 241 with a crank disk 243 adjustably secured to anidler gear 249 meshing with the gear 98 hereinbefore referred to. Thecross slide 240 has a feed arm 250 secured to one end thereof, and thisarm functions to feed container bodies laterally ofi the feed table 40and into the turret pockets as they are presented in horizontal posiytion in the manner best illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. Seealso Figures 4 and 12.

The various feeding devices for the container bodies 5'1, the endclosures 160 'and the turret are so cooperatively timed that eachcontainer body 5'! which actuates the bell crank lever arm 182 and thevalve member |16 connected therewith will so control the feeding of anend closure that that particular end closure 'and the container bodywhich controlled its feeding Will be brought together as a closure andcontainer body complement in a particular turret pocket. The samecontainer body 51 which actuated the bell crank lever arm 182 forcontrolling the feeding of the particular end closure to be applied tothat particular container body, also actuates the bell crank vlever Iarm220 when the presence or absence of an end closure in theparticularturret pocket timed to receive that particular container body is beingtested in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 14. It willbe observed also that the valve structures 210 and 212 are connected inseries with the declutching mechanism actuating cylinder 28. Thus bothof the valve members 222 and 215 must be unseated by the absence of an-end closure and the presence of a container body in order topneumatically eifect a declutching 'actuation and a stoppage of themachine operation.

In this manner the operation of the machine will be stopped wheneverproper complements of container bodies and end closures are not inproper position to be moved into assembled relation in the turretpockets. Whenever the machine is stopped by a test indicating theabsence of an end closure in the particular turret pocket which -is toreceive the container body engaging the bell crank lever arm 220 at thetime the test is made, and it is desired to normally continue operationoi the machine, the operator has but to manually insert an end closureinthe empty pocket and re-start the machine in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

At its leit hand end, as viewed in Figure 5, the cross slide 240 carriesla pair of spaced stripper or discharge iingers 251 which are adjustablysupported as at 252 on said slide. It will be obvious by reference toFigures 4 and 5 of the drawings that each time the cross slide moves tothe left as viewed in these figures the feeder element 250 and dischargefingers carried thereby will respectively function to feed a containerbody 51 into a horizontally presented turret pocket and remove ordischarge a finished or completely assembled container and end closurefrom the turret pocket horizontally presented at the opposite side ofthe turret.

As a container body is fed into a turret pocket in the manner just abovedescribed the rear end is opposed by a pre-assembling or nesting plate253 which is mounted on a carrier 254 adjustably secured as at 255 on aslide member 256 guided as at 251 on the frame in the manner bestillustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The slide 256 carries a roller258 and is yieldably urged by a spring 259 against the cam |01 mountedon the upper end of the shaft |65 'as hereinbefore described.

Each end closure member usually includes a depressed central portiondimensioned to t snugly within the end of the container body with whichit is to be assembled, and because of this projection of the centralportion of the end closures it is necessary to initially position thebodies and end closures in spaced relation in the pockets in the mannerillustrated in Figure 16 of the drawings. Thus it is necessary to bringabout relative endwise movement between the complementary containerelements in order to properly nest them prior to permanent assemblythereof in the manner illustrated in Figure 16. This pre-assembly ornesting function is accomplished by reciprocation of the plate 253, andthis plate is reciprocated by action of the rotary cam |1. By adjustablymounting the plate 253 it can be made to cooperate with container bodiesof different lengths.

Following the pre-assembly or nesting of the complementary containerelements at the stations at which the container bodies are received inthe turret pockets and before the container elements are permanentlysecured in assembly at the securing station, the rear ends of thecontainers are opposed by a stationary abutment sector 260 having itsabutment face disposed flush with the like face of the pre-assemblingplate 253 when it is positioned at the completion of its nestingfunction. See Figure 4. The sector 25D is carried on a shank 25|spline-connected as at 252 to a portion of the machine frame and rthreaded through a worm wheel 263 engaged by a worm gear 254 mounted onan adjuster shaft 265 having rotative bearing in the frame in the mannerbest illustrated in Figure 1l of the drawings. the medium of a suitablehand wheel 256, adjustment of the position of the sector 262 can beeiected so as to present it in guiding or end abutting relation withturret pocket carried container bodies of different lengths.

When the turret pockets are presented at the lowermost vertical positionthey are presented at the securing station, at which station the endclosures are permanently secured to the container bodies by a seamingoperation. It is to be understood that when the containers are intendedfor the packaging of products which require them to be gas or liquidtight, this securing operation will probably take the form of a doubleseam securing operation. When the containers are intended for thepackaging of granular materials or products not requiring such securesealing, the securing function may take the form of a false Seamingoperation in which it is necessary only to effect a permanent attachmentof the end closure By manipulation of the shaft 265 through and thecomplementary container body. In its broadest aspects the inventioncomprehends these and other container body and closure securingfunctions.

At the securing station a vertical slideway 261 is provided beneath theturret and in this slideway a slide member 268 is verticallyreciprocable. The slide is engaged by the forward end of a lever 269which is piveted intermediate its ends as at 215 on the frame and hasits rearmost end equipped with a roller 21| whichrides in the groove inthe drum cam |0|, thereby serving to impart the desired reciprocation tothe slide 268 in suitably timed relation with the turret movements sothat the slide will be moved toward the turret each time a turret pocketcomes to rest at the securing station. At its upper end the slide 253carries a removably mounted wedge piece 212 which engagesl betweenopposed jaws 35 presented at the securing station for the purpose ofspreading the jaws from the position indicated in Figure 16 of thedrawings to the positions illustrated in Figures l' and 18 to therebyfree the edges of the end closure |60 now held by nesting in the frontend o1" the container body 51. It will be observed that the wedge piece212 is shaped to form a completion of the turret pocket presented at thesecuring station, and this element aids the turret disk |33, the turretplate |49 and the sector 355 in properly supporting the container partsat the securing station.

After the jaws |36 have been separated and the pocket completed bypresentation of the wedge piece 212, a container eliucking pad 213supported on the end of a screw member 2111 is forced against the end ofthe container to slide the container in the turret pocket forwardlyagainst the chuck of the seaming head. The screw member 212 is threadedin a sleeve 215 slide-guided as at 216 on the frame and having adepending roller 211 engaged in the groove of the plate cam |93. It willbe obvious by reference to Figure 3 of the drawings that the plate camimparts the desired reciprocation to the chucking pad 213 and that theposition of the pad can be readily adjusted by threading the screwmember in the sleeve 215 so as to position the pad for proper engagementwith container bodies of different lengths.

The take-olf way H includes a supporting table 218 upon which aremounted guide rails 219 disposed in adjustably spaced relation in theman- Vner `best illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings. Ascrew member 28|) supports the table 218 and is threadably adjustable ina bearing arm 28| swingably mounted as at 282 upon the frame. Thus thetake-off way H is mounted for vertical adjustment so that it can beproperly positioned with respect to containers of different sizespresented at the discharge station, and this way H can also be swingablydisplaced so as to facilitate access to machine parts thereadjacent. SeeFigures 1 to 5.

The frame G includes a step portion 283 equipped with a verticallydisposed bearing 284, as is best shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 of thedrawings. The seaming head employed in this machine is horizontallydisposed with an open end portion opposed to the lower portion of theturret in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings.This seaming head is composed of upper and lower separable casingsections 285 and 28S, a portion of the upper section being hingedlysupported on the lower section as at 281. The lower section of theseaming head casing is axed to a depending hollow standard 288 which isswingably mounted in the bearing 284, and the seaming head is supportedon anti-friction bearings 289 interposed between the head and saidbearing. It will ybe noted by reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings that the vertical axis about which the seaming head isswingably mounted is disposed to one side of the axis of the turret andalso to one side of the axis of the main portion of the seaming head. Bythus swingably mounting the seaming head about an axis disposed in theparticular manner stated, the seaming head can be completely swung awayfrom its cooperative relation with the turret illustrated in Figure 3 ofthe drawings so las to facilitate access to and manipulation of turretand seaming head parts. Y

In order to prevent setting up of twisting stresses in the seaming headduring movement thereof between operative and inoperative position, arest boss 290 is provided on the lower casing section in position forriding over and being supported on an arcuate support step 29|projecting upwardly from the frame part 6.

A securing lug 292 projects from the lower casing section for receivinga hinged securing screw 293 pivotally supported on a portion of theframe. This quick detachable securing screw means serves to secure theseaming head in the operative position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 ofthe drawings.

As has been hereinbefore stated, the securing means employed in thismachine may be of any approved type, and when a securing means of theseam forming type is employed it may be of a type for providing a falseseam or a double roll seam kas hereinbefore stated, Any suitable form ofsquare can seam forming mechanism may be employed, and the specificdetails of construction and operation of the seaming mechanism hereindisclosed will not be dwelt upon at length herein because this seamingmechanism is fully illustrated and described in the co-pendingapplication for U. S. Letters Patent led November 27,

1939, by Alfred L. Kronquest and Otto A. Schmitt,

and identified by Serial No. 306,366, now Patent No. 2,271,153, grantedJanuary 27, 1942.

The specific seaming mechanism referred to includes a stationary sleeve294 which supports a chuck and cam unit 295. This unit includes agrooveway conforming to the shape of the can ends and serving thepurpose of determining the positions of pivotally mounted supportingarms, said arms being pivotally mounted at their ends as at 296 in arotor 291. The supporting arms support the seaming roller carrying arms298 which are moved toward the chuck by cam elements mounted on the endsof shafts 299 rotatable about the axes of the pivotal supports 296 anddriven by pinions 300 meshing with a large spur gear 30| fixed to asleeve carrying a spur gear 302. The rotor 291 is xed to a sleeve 303having a gear 304 affixed thereto, and the gears 302 and 304respectively mesh with spur gears 305 and 306 mounted on the sleeve 301which is rotatable about a stud 308 iixedly supported in the seaminghead casing. The sleeve 301 also carries a bevel gear 303 which mesheswith a bevel gear 3|9 secured upon the upper end of a shaft 3| rotatablysupported in bearings mounted in the pivot standard 288 of the seaminghead.v At its lower end the shaft 3| i carries a bevel gear 3|2 to whichrotation is imparted by a bevel gear 3|3 carried by the main shaft 1.

A knockout rod 3|4 is reciprocable in and through the stationary sleeve294, and this rod is connected at its front end with one end of a lever3|5 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a bracket 3|8 secured tothe seaming head. At its lower end the lever 3|5 has a quick releaseconnection 3|1 with a link member 3|8 pivotally connected to athrust-element 3| 9 slide-guided as at 320 in the frame and equipped atits rear end with a roller 32| which engages in the groove in the platecam |00. Rotation of this cam imparts movement to the knockout rod 3|4for at the proper time displacing from the chuck a can which has had itsend closure securely Xed thereupon. See Figure 18 of the drawings.

In operation, the container bodies are fed onto the feed-in table in acontinuous line in the manner indicated in Figure 8 of the drawings. Theinfeedin-g line of 'container lbodies is intercepted by the depressedstop member 69 until the accelerating segments 83 are about to contactthe most advanced container body in the manner indicated in said Figure8. At this time the stop member 99 is lifted to free the container bodyand it is rapidly moved away from the line of incoming can bodies by therotating segments 83 and fed into the zone of influence of the feed bar84.

As the container body moves under the guard rail 90 and over the feedbar 84 it displaces the spring depressed detent 92 and rides over thexedly mounted detent 85 on the feed bar 84. As it attains this positionthe can body actuates the bell crank lever and displaces the valvemember |16 thereby opening suction communication through the ducts |14,|13, |1I so that when the rotary valve |69 effects a communication withthe duct |86, a suction will be created at the suction cup and thereciprocating cup will withdraw the lowermost end closure |60 anddeposit it on the feed chains |83 so that it will be deposited in theturret pocket which is to receive the container body which controlledthe feeding of said end closure.

The parts are so timed that when the turret has advanced from the endclosure receiving station to the next or end closure presence testingstation, the container body which controlled the withdrawal from thesupply stack of the particular end closure contained in that pocket willhave been advanced to the control station illustrated at the left end ofthe feed line portion shown in Figure 14. At this testing station, thefeeler head 228 is moved into the turret pocket in the mannerhereinbefore described. and the end closure |80 in that pocket willintercept its movement in the manner illustrated in Figure 14 so thatthe valve member 222 will not be displaced for the purpose of openingsuction communication. It will be noted, however. that each time a canbody arrives at the control station stated it will eifect unseating ofthe valve member 2|5. With the valve member 255 thus displaced by thecontainer body which is to be fed into the pocket now positioned at thetest station, should no end closure be present in the pocket, due tofaulty operation of machine parts or the exhausting of the supply of endclosures, the feeler head .29 will move full stroke into the turretpocket and the lug 229 movable therewith will act to unseat the valvemember 222, thus opening suction communication through both valvestructures 2|@ and 2li?, the ducts i254, 2i3 and 30, thereby evacuatingthe cylinder 28 and bringing about a declutching of the motor

